Debris containment system for a canister vacuum

Abstract

A debris containment system for a canister vacuum allowing use of a common trash bag as a debris containment bag during vacuuming to in turn provide for a cleaner and less strenuous method of emptying debris from a canister vacuum.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A bag retainer for a vacuum comprising a canister having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, and a debris inlet pipe directing vacuumed up debris into the canister, the bag retainer comprising:
 a hollow, open-ended sleeve shaped and sized to fit within the canister opening having a first edge and a second edge;   wherein a bag is held in place within the canister opening by at least the second edge of the hollow, open ended sleeve within the bag and adjacent to the bottom of the canister and the bag extends over the rim of the canister opening, such that debris from the debris inlet pipe collects within the hollow, open-ended sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The bag retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more openings in hollow, open-ended sleeve for providing user finger access to aid in removal of the bag retainer removal from the canister. 
     
     
         3 . The bag retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening located and sized to fit around a debris inlet pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The bag retainer of  claim 3 , further comprising one or more openings in hollow, open-ended sleeve for providing user finger access to aid in bag retainer removal from the canister. 
     
     
         5 . The bag retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising a shaped channel contiguous to the hollow, open-ended sleeve extending from the second edge towards the first edge, the shaped channel protruding radially inwards within the hollow, open-ended sleeve at least a length greater than a length of the debris inlet pipe extending within the canister opening and a width greater than a width of the debris inlet pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The bag retainer of  claim 5 , further comprising one or more openings in hollow, open-ended sleeve for providing user finger access to aid in removal of the bag retainer. 
     
     
         7 . The bag retainer of  claim 5 , wherein the shaped channel further defines an opening located and sized to fit around the debris inlet pipe proximal to the first edge. 
     
     
         8 . The bag retainer of  claim 3 , wherein the open-ended sleeve is comprised of:
 a first C-shaped sleeve section having a first end and a second end, defining a first C-shaped sleeve section opening between the first end and the second end; and   a second sleeve section defining an opening sized to receive the debris inlet pipe, the second sleeve section of a width greater than the first C-shaped sleeve section opening between the first end and the second end of the first C-shaped sleeve section, such that the second sleeve section overlaps the first end and the second end of the first C-shaped section.   
     
     
         9 . The bag retainer of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one cutout extending from second edge towards first edge, such that a connecting portion is present between the at least one cutout and the first edge, the at least one cutout being sized to encompass the debris inlet pipe. 
     
     
         10 . The bag retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum is selected from a group consisting of: canister vacuums, central vacuums, drum vacuums, wet/dry vacuums and shop vacuums. 
     
     
         11 . The bag retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the bag is a garbage bag. 
     
     
         12 . A removable bag guide for a vacuum comprising a canister having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, a debris inlet pipe with an outlet in the canister opening, the removable bag guide comprising:
 a hollow, open-ended sleeve in contact with the bottom of a canister, shaped and sized to fit within the canister opening having a first edge and a second edge adjacent the bottom of the canister, the hollow open-ended sleeve comprising a shaped channel contiguous to the hollow, open-ended sleeve extending from the second edge towards the first edge, the shaped channel protruding radially inwards within the hollow, open-ended sleeve at least a length greater than a length of the debris inlet pipe extending within the canister opening and a width greater than a width of the debris inlet pipe   
     
     
         13 . The removable bag guide of  claim 12 , wherein the second edge of the hollow, open-ended sleeve is secured to the bottom of the canister. 
     
     
         14 . The removable guide of  claim 12 , further comprising an opening sized to fit around the debris inlet pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The removable guide of  claim 12  further comprising at least one opening adjacent to bottom of canister to allow passage of liquid outside of hollow, open-ended sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . A removable bag guide for a vacuum comprising a canister having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, a debris inlet pipe with an outlet in the canister opening, the removable bag guide comprising:
 a shaped channel having a first edge and a second edge, protruding radially inwards at least a depth greater than a depth of the debris inlet pipe within the canister opening and a width at least wider that a width of the debris inlet pipe and to a height below any debris within the canister.   
     
     
         17 . The removable bag guide of  claim 16 , wherein the shaped channel defines an opening sized to fit around the debris inlet pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The removable bag guide of  claim 16 , wherein the second edge of the hollow, open-ended sleeve is secured to the bottom of the canister. 
     
     
         19 . A bag for a vacuum comprising a canister having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, a debris inlet pipe with an outlet in the canister opening, the bag comprising: a body with sidewalls having a bottom and defining a central opening, wherein at least one of the sidewalls has a cut bag opening sized to accept the debris inlet pipe within the canister of the vacuum. 
     
     
         20 . A canister for a canister vacuum comprising:
 a canister body having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, a debris inlet pipe with an outlet in the canister opening, wherein at least one of the walls has a first section connected to a second section separated by a transition section, the second section receiving the debris inlet pipe and the transition section having a length greater than the length of the debris inlet pipe within the canister opening.   
     
     
         21 . The canister of  claim 20 , further comprising a drain in or adjacent to the bottom. 
     
     
         22 . The canister of  claim 20 , further comprising one or more wheels attached to the bottom of the canister outside of the canister opening. 
     
     
         23 . A canister for a canister vacuum comprising:
 a canister body having a bottom connected to walls defining a canister opening with a rim, a debris inlet pipe with an outlet in the canister opening, wherein the walls have a first section connected to a second section separated by a transition section, the second section receiving the debris inlet pipe and the transition section having a length greater than the length of the debris inlet pipe within the canister opening.   
     
     
         24 . The canister of  claim 23 , further comprising a drain in or adjacent to the bottom. 
     
     
         25 . The canister of  claim 23 , further comprising one or more wheels attached to the bottom of the canister outside of the canister opening. 
     
     
         26 . A bag retaining washer for retaining a bag over a debris inlet pipe within a vacuum comprising:
 a substantially rigid outer structure defining an opening having with a fixedly attached flexible membrane sized to install over and on the debris inlet pipe.   
     
     
         27 . A bag cutter comprising:
 a resilient handle having a first end and a second end, the first end being opposite of the second end;   a cross-shaped blade mounted to the first end; and   a cross-shaped slot sized to receive the cross-shaped blade in the second end;   wherein the u-shaped handle has a first position and a second position, such that in a first position, the first end is spaced apart from the second end a distance, such that a bag can pass between the first end and the second end and in the second position, the cross-shaped blade is received within the cross-shaped slot, passing through the bag present between the first end and the second end, cutting a cross-shaped hole.   
     
     
         28 . The bag cutter of  claim 27 , further comprising reference marks on the handle to aid a user in making repeated cuts in multiple bags.